Fire-escape



(No Model.)

G. M. POWLER.

FIRE ESCAPE. A No. 894,109. Patented Dec. 4, 1888.

l n PEYERs PhomLnhugnphw. wnsmnglc D. c.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

` CHARLES M. FOVLER, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,109, lated December 4, 1888.

Application filed October 15, 1888. Serial No, 288,109. (No model.)

To all whom if 11u/,y concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES )1. FowLER, a citizen of the lnited States, and a resident of Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in portable fire-escapes; and it is carried out as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 represents a front view of the device, showing the covering-plate as removed; and 2 represents a crossssection on the line X Y, shown in Eig. l.

Similar figures refer to similar parts wher ever they occur on the different parts of the drawings.

1 represents a metal case or box, which may be made of any desired size or form and pro vided with a detachable plate or cover, 2, as shown in Eig. 2.

The case or box 1 is adapted to be sus pended from the window-sill casing or other part of the building by means of a rope or chain, 3, the lower end of which is preferably secured in a suitable manner to perforated ears 4 el on the case 1, as shown in Fig. 1.

The upper end of the rope or chain 3 may be provided with a suitable hook, ring, or equivalent device, (not shown in the drawings,) for the purpose of securing it readily in place on the inside or outside of the building, or to any convenient piece of furniture within the room, in case of iire, as may be most practical and suitable.

5 is the life-line, to the lower end of which, below the box 1, is to be secured a belt or other suitable device for securing such line to the bodyv of the person that is to be lowered, such belt or device for securing the said life-line to the body being, however, not shown in the drawings, as it forms no part of my present invention. The line or rope 5 passes loosely through vertical perforations 6 and 7 in the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the case 1, as shown in Figs. 1 and The line or rope 5 is to be long enough to permit a person being lowered to the ground without letting the upper end of said rope pass through the said box or case 1, and when the device is to be used said rope may be coiled or laid loosely on the iioor, so as to prevent its being tangled during the operation of lowering a person to the ground.

ln connection with the box 1, l use a brakelever, S, which is pivoted within the case or box l to a pin, screw, projection, or rivet, 9, attached to or secured in a suitable manner to the case, as shown in Figs. l and 2, said lever having a cut-away portion or recess, 10, above `its fulcrmn El, and on opposite sides of such recess are made the respective brake projections 1I and 12, as shown in Fig. 1.

The lever S in its inner end has an up wardl'v-extemling friction projection, 13, as shown in Fig. l. The rope 5, after passing' through the upper perforation, li, is led around a stationary pin, screw, or projection, 1l, secured in a suitable manner to the case l, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and after passing around a portion of such projection 14 the rope 5 passes over and in contact with the projection 13 of the lever 8 and out through the lower perforation, T, as shown in Fig. 1.

To the outer end of the lever S is attached a cord, rope, or chain, 15, which should be long enough to extend to the ground, or nearly so, for a purpose as will hereinafter be described.

In using the invention the rope, cord, or chain 3 is attached ina suitable manner to the window-sill or other part of the'building, as maybe convenient. The person to be lowered is suspended in a suitable manner from the rope 5 below the box or case l. The weight of the person so suspended will cause the lever 8 to be tripped to the position shown in Fig. 1, causing the brake projection 11 on the lever 8 to impinge or press against the rope 5 where it passes around the projection 14, thus holding the rope 5 rmly in place. If it is desired to lower the person suspended on the rope 5, this may be done by another person in the room or building taking hold of the lever 8 and depressing the saine, so as to cause the friction between the brake proj ection 11 and the rope 5 to be relieved; or the lever S may be depressed still further, so as to cause a frictional resistance between the brake projection 12 and the said rope.

In practice I prefer to force the outer end of the lever 8 suieiently downward to cause IOO a frictional resistance between the brake projection 12 and the rope 5 where it passes around a portion of the stationary projection 14, and in this manner the lowering of the tached to the rope 5, simply by taking holdof said rope or chain 15, and thereby regulating the frictional resistance between the brake projections 11 12 and the rope 5 where it passes around a portion of the stationary projection 14. In case the person lowered or the one in control of the lever S should let go his hold on said lever, the weight of the suspended person will cause the lever S to be tripped to the'position shown in Fig. 1, causing the projection 11 to be pressed against the rope 5 where it passes around a portion of the stationary projection 14, thus arresting the descent of the person that is being lowered until the lever 8 is again released. The same effect may be produced bythe descending party taking hold of the rope or chain 15, so as to regulate the descent according to circumstances. It will thus be seen that the device may be controlled either by a person in the building or by the person descending, according to circumstances. Then the lever 8 is depressed, a proper frietional resistance on the rope 5 is obtained by its passage through the perforation 6, around the projection 14, around the upwardly-extending projection 13 on the lever S, and out through the lower perforation, 7, as shown in Fig. 1, thus preventing a too rapid descent of the person that is being lowered.

In case the stationary fulcrum 9 should break, I arrange within the box 1, below the inner end of the lever S, a stationary stop projection, 16, for the purpose of arresting the tipping motion of said lever S, as shown in Fig. 1.

In case the stationary projection 14 should break, I arrange within the box 1 a stat-ionary friction projection, 17, between which and the inner end of the lever 8 the rope 5 is compressed, so as to obtain the proper frietional resistance, should such accidental breakage of the part 14 occur.

The parts 9 and 14 in practice are to be made strong enough to prevent their breakage; but the parts 1G and 17 are added as safety devices in case breakages should happen to the said respective parts 0 and 14.

The invention is very simple in construction and operation, and by its means a party can be safely lowered from a burning building, either by the party itself or by a party where the device is located, as may be desired, according to circumstances.

Having thus fully described the nature, construction, and operation of my invention, I wish to secure by Letters Patent, and claim- 1. The herein-described fire-escape, consisting of the box or case 1, having the perforations 6 7 and the stationary projection 14, combined with the lever S, pivoted at 9, and havin the brake projections 11 12 and upwardlyextending friction projection 13 and the rope 5, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a fire-escape, the box or case 1, having' perforations 7 and stationaryprojection 14, in combination with the lever S, pivoted at 9, and having the brake projections 11 12 and upwardly-projecting friction end 13, the rope 5, and friction releasing rope or chain 15, attached to the lever S, as and for the purpose set forth.

In a fire-escape, the box or case 1, having A the perforations G 7 and the stationary proj ections 14 and 16, combined with the lever 8, pivoted at 9, and having the brake projections 11 12 and upwardly-extending' friction projection 1S and rope 5, substantially as andforthc purpose set forth.

4. In a fire-escape, the box or case 1, having the perforations 6 7 and the stationary projections 14 and 17, combined with the lever 8, pivoted at 9, and having the brake proj ections 11 12 and upwardly-extending friction proj ection 13 and rope 5, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 12th day of October, A. D. 1888.

' CHARLES M. IOVVLER. IVitn esses:

ALBAN ANDRN, WoonBURv P. LEFUvoUR. 

